Fishtail clamp and mounting



Jan. 13, 1953 J. x. PETERSON 2,624,910

FISHTAIL CLAMP AND MOUNTING Filed June 20, 1949 I INVENTOR. JOHN xmrraasou ATTORNEYS Patented Jan. 13, 1953 UNITED STATES ATJENT OFFICE 7 2,624,910 FISHTAEL CLAMP AND MOUNTING .iohn X. Peterson, Minneapolis, Minn. Application .iune 20, 1949, Serial No. 100,199

2 Qlaims.

This invention relates to fish scaling and cleaning and particularly to a tail clamp for positively retaining a fish on a block or other support for facilitating scaling and cleaning thereof.

It is an object of my invention to provide a simple but highly efiicient tail retainer to facilitate scaling and cleaning of fish, which is readily adjustable and operable to positively clamp and retain the tail portion of a fish disposed flatwise on a block for cleaning and which is provided with simple facilities for driving attachment in erect position into a block of wood or composition material.

A further object of the invention is the provision of a retainer of the class described which may be inexpensively constructed from sheet metal which is small and compact in structure and which in use, positively anchors the fish, leaving both hands of the operator free.

More specifically, it is an object to provide an adjustable, toothed tail clamp device comprising an upstanding rigid frame provided with drivein prongs-at the lower end for attachment to block or board and having mounted thereon, a vertically and slidably adjustable clamping plate adapted to cooperate with the upper surface of a block to engage, partially penetrate and secure the tail portion of a fish to the supporting surface.

These and other objects and advantages of my invention will more fully appear from the following description made in connection with the accompanying drawings in which like reference characters refer to similar parts throughout the several views and in which:

Fig. l is a perspective view showing an embodiment of my invention operatively applied to a block and adjusted for use in retaining a fish for scaling;

Fig. 2 is a rear elevation of the tail-anchoring device detached; and

Fig. 8 is a cross section taken on the line ?.--3 of Fig. 2.

In the form of my invention disclosed, 1 provide an upstanding rectangular frame preferably stamped from heavy gauge sheet metal having a planar body 5 provided with inturned narrow reinforcing flanges 5a which terminate at their lower ends in enlarged, downwardly tapering prongs 5b adapted to be vertically driven into a block of wood or other support capable of penetration by said prongs. The upper end of the body 5 is provided with a horizontally turned driving flange 50 which as shown, is centrally notched to facilitate accessibility to a pressure flange on the clamping member disposed below. The body 5 of the frame at its central lower portion terminates some distance above the tips of the prongs 517 along a line 5d which as shown, is arcuate in shape.

Slidably attached to the body 5 and guided by the flanges 5a is a vertically-adjustable clamping plate 6 preferably constructed of heavy gauge sheet metal. Said plate at its lower edge terminates in a multiplicity of pointed teeth lid for engagement with and penetration into the tail portion of fish. The body 5 of the frame is provided with a central longitudinal slot 1 in which a bolt 8 is accommodated, the outer end of said bolt being threaded to receive a wing nut 9 by which the clamping plate may be secured to the frame in various vertically adjusted positions. Bolt 8 is fixed centrally of plate 6.

The upper end of clamping plate 6 as shown, is provided with an out-turned horizontal flange 6b for applying downward pressure and facilitating adjustment of the plate. This flange 6b is disposed below the driving flange 5c of the frame and is readily accessible from above with the notched portion of the driving flange being vertically aligned with the central portion of the flange 6b.

In use, my device is bodily driven in upstanding perpendicular arrangement into the top of a wooden block B or other suitable support having a substantially horizontal surface. Driving may be'facilitated by hammering downwardly against the flange 50. When driven into the block, my device may remain a long as desired and may then be quickly adjusted for use in scaling fish. In use, a fish is disposed flatwise on the block as shown in Fig. 1 with the shank of the tail disposed transversely below the clamping plate 6. The wing nut 9 is slightly loosened and the clamping plate 6 is forcibly pressed downwardly, the teeth 6a at least partially penetrating the flesh of the tail shank and cooperating with the upper surface of the block to positively retain the fish in position for scaling.

The wing nut 9 is then tightened, securing the clamp in its anchoring position.

Thereafter, one side of the fish may be readily scaled and no handling of the clamping device, as in the case of most tail clamps, is required. The operators two hands are free for scaling, cutting or otherwise cleaning the fish in its retained position. After one side of the fish is scaled, the wing nut may be released and the operation repeated for scaling and cleaning the other side.

Most conventional tail clamps or retainers now on the market will often pull away from the fish during the scaling operation and further, require retention and holding by one hand of th operator.

From the foregoing description, it will be seen that I have provided a simple, inexpensive and highly eflicient clamping device and retainer for accomplishing the purposes enumerated.

It will of course, be understood that various changes may be made in the details, arrangement and proportions of the parts without departing from the scope of my invention.

What I claim is:

1. A fish tail clamp having in combination a body member in the form of a plate having inturned, longitudinal, rigid flanges at thev sides thereof to form a pair of vertical guides, said plate being recessed at its lower portion for accommodation of the tail shank of a fish, said flanges extending downwardly below said recessed portion and being pointed at their lower ends to form prongs for attachment of the device to a wooden block orthe like, a clamping plate constructed of sheet material mounted against said body and guided between said flanges and having a lower fish-engaging portion adapted to coopcrate with the supporting surface of a block to anchor the tail shank of a fish and means for interconnecting the said clamping plate and said body with provision of vertical adjustment of said clamp P ate.

2, A fish tail clamp having in combination a body member in the form of a flat, substantially '4 rigid, sheet metal plate having narrow, turned, longitudinal flanges at the sides thereof, cooperating to form a pair of vertical guides, said plate at its lower edge, being defined by a concave curve to provide a recess for accommodation of the tail shank of a fish, said side flanges extending downwardly substantially below said eoncave edge and being tapered to points at their lower extremities to form prongs for driving attachment into a wooden block or the like, a clamping plate constructed of flat, rigid sheet material mounted against said body and having longitudinal edges guided between said flanges and having a lower serrated fish-engaging portion adapted to penetrate and engage the tail shank of a fish, a slot and pin connection between the medial portion of said plate and the medial portion of said body for permitting relative longitudinal adjustment of said plate to said body and a clamping nut comprising a part of said slot and pin connection for securing said plate to said body in a multiplicity of different adjusted positions.

JOHN X. PETERSON.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the le of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,132,417 Alexander Mar. 16, 1915 1,223,258 Cooper Apr. 17, 1917 1,411,572 Kramer Apr. 4, 1922 

